Review: 2006 Land Rover HSE

While many manufacturers claim title to creating the Sport Utility Vehicle category, few can provide the kind of evidence in support Land Rover created the luxury off-road segment with its Range Rover, and after 35 years it's still the most capable, most luxurious vehicle in its class.



Lost in the patchouli-scented mists of the Sixties is the fact that the then-British owned automaker conceived and created a vehicle that personified what the company's marketing department of the day defined as "tough luxury."

The idea, according to Land Rover lore, was "to build a vehicle that combined saloon car levels of performance, handling, ride comfort and refinement, with all the ruggedness and off-road ability of a Land Rover." Hmmm... sounds awfully like the 21st century SUV sales pitch to me.

Full review here

TagMan - 11/29/2005 6:15:34 PM

+1 Boost

This is a schizophrenic vehicle. It's a Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. On one hand, it's one of the most gorgeous SUV's on the planet with great handling on the highway and off-road. But on the other hand, in real life, it sucks gas worse than a Hummer (or an old full-size Ford Bronco) and has a reliability record that is 91% below average, where it keeps company with some of the worst made vehicles on the planet!

janos2769 - 12/1/2005 12:54:13 PM

+1 Boost

The British invented soccer yet the Brazilians have mastered it and made it theirs. The British, (besides the criminal play during World Cup '66 where they butchered the uncontested best player of all-time, Pele, to win the Cup) have never been consistently better in soccer than the Germans, Italians or even French, Dutch and others.

This translates well into the automotive realm with Range Rover. Creators of the SUV, perhaps, masters, NOT.

Is it something in the tea?

Finally -again- as with soccer the Range Rover is an overpriced item (once it left BMW's hands it lost any hope). What's the deal with engine choices? stuck with GM for years, than BMW, now Jaguar (pronounced Ja-giu-yar, cracks me up!). What kind of self-respecting brand uses other brands' engines.

TagMan - 12/1/2005 4:48:24 PM

+1 Boost

Much of the Mini Cooper is assembled in England, and it's not all that horrible, and the Jaguar XJ sedans are more reliable than almost ANY Mercedes, and many other cars for that matter, and they are GORGEOUS as well, and British, of course. There must be some other factors at work here besides the tea!! But what?

score - 12/2/2005 1:15:34 PM

+1 Boost

I have owned 1 range rover in 2000 it was in the shop for suspension problems all the time, it never wanted to set up the air bags /compressor just did not work together at all.I quickly sold it.In my view the vehicle has a very nice interior but it's overpriced.The exterior of the current rr is just boring no excitement,the arch of the windshield looks pushed back really far giving it a deer in the headlight look.I would spend my money at cadillac or porsche.One thing I do not understand is the range rover sport how can it be called a rr sport when it rides on the LR3 platform wish is very ugly, to small looks like it has a hunch back just to much going on and the price, give me a break it's not worth it I would buy a cadillac srx or bmw x5 before a rr sport.

racer1 - 12/2/2005 1:37:08 PM

+1 Boost

I just replaced my Range Rover with a new Cayenne S. Before that I had the X5 4.4. When I got the Rover, I was thrilled with the room, the comfort and the looks of the car. After 2 new air-suspension systems, a new transmission and steering rack in less than 2 years, I had enough. The Cayenne doesn't have the looks but it's way more fun to drive, gets reasonable gas mileage and has technology that's not from the seventies. I have 2 friends with the new Rovers and are already having problems and say that it drives like an old Ford. No more Brittish cars for me.

TagMan - 12/2/2005 5:12:04 PM

+1 Boost

Hey, Pman,
Hate to break the news to you, but the latest statistics are like this:
Range Rover = 91% below average reliability rating.
Porsche Cayenne = 133% below average reliability rating!, making it one of the worst vehicles on the planet!!!
Get ready to visit the shop again!

TagMan - 12/4/2005 12:06:34 AM

+1 Boost

The Jaguar engine is smooth as silk with great power curve.